


Second Chance

by opal_sapphire



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 12:41:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19441687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opal_sapphire/pseuds/opal_sapphire
Summary: Five years ago, Thanos won.  He snapped away half the universe.  Now, you and the Avengers have one shot, another chance at bringing everyone back.  Will you succeed, and what will it take?





	Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> **ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD**

You could do this. No biggie. It wasn't like the hopes and dreams of everyone not just in this room but across the entire universe was depending on your success. Time traveling, getting the stones, that was the hardest part. Now was the simplest: put on the gauntlet, think about everyone gone and how much you wanted them back, and snap your fingers.

"Good to go, yeah?" Tony asked.

You nodded.

"Remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago, you're just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything in the last five years."

"Right."

You held the gauntlet in your hand. You thought it would be ridiculously heavy, but it was surprisingly light.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y., do me a favor and activate Protocol Eight," Tony said.

"Yes, boss," F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied.

Everything went dark for a moment as the facility went on complete lockdown, and then the emergency lights came on. When everyone had shielded themselves behind tables and walls and, well, Steve's shield (though what good that would do you had no idea), you slid the gauntlet over your hand. A bolt of pain surged through you, and you yelled, doubling over.

"Take it off," Thor ordered. "Take it off!"

"No, wait," Steve argued. "Y/N, are you okay?"

"Talk to me," Tony added.

Your response was a little breathless. "I'm good, I'm good."

Thor gave you a double thumbs up, and you cracked a smile. You took a deep breath, thinking of all that you had lost, all that your family here had lost, all that every creature across the universe had lost.

And you snapped your fingers.

For a second, nothing happened. Then the pain rushed through you, and you collapsed to the ground, screaming. You barely registered the gauntlet slipping off your hand. You just wanted to breathe normally, to feel relief from the pain, for it all to end one way or another.

Finally, the pain subsided. You slowly sat up, holding on to Steve's outstretched arm for support. "Did it work?"

Thor, crouched by your legs, patted your knee comfortingly. "Worth a shot. It's over now, it's okay."

A phone started ringing. Clint went over to it and answered. "Honey?"

You looked up at him, eyes wide, and shared a look with the others.

"Guys, I think it worked!" Scott called.

Before anyone could respond, a giant boom sounded as the place blasted apart. You lost your grip on Steve and quickly sank down, down, down, before landing on something solid. You laid there, dazed, for a while until you heard Rhodey screaming for help over the comms, followed by Scott's muffled response.

What followed was a blur of action, of getting up and out and finding the others and getting them out safe. Scott ended up going giant, with you, Bruce, Natasha, Rocket and Rhodey clinging to him as he rose out of the debris. What met your gaze made dread pool in your stomach.

Everything in the surrounding area had been completely decimated. Some parts were smoking, others still on fire. And standing in the middle of it all was Thanos. Fucking Thanos, the giant living eggplant, was alive and kicking. Literally, as Thor, Steve and Tony fought him together. The rest of you joined the fight.

Thanos began choking Thor, digging Stormbreaker into his side, when suddenly Mjolnir flew past you. You whipped your head around and saw Steve holding it. You echoed Thor's cheer before running at Thanos with Steve.

Yet no matter how much fire you blasted at him, how much your combined forces hit him, the bastard knocked you all down, one by one, until Steve was the only one left standing.

A yellow glow began to emanate from behind him. You raised your head and saw a portal, and then another, and another, until there were dozens and dozens of them. You stood and watched in disbelief as people came out.

You spotted T'Challa, Shuri and Okoye. Sam flew out above them. You recognized Strange as he floated out with a group of people you didn't recognize--oh God, Peter was with them. And there was Bucky and Groot and Wanda coming out with the Wakandan army, and there was Valkyrie with the Asgardians, and Wong with the Masters of the Mystic Arts, and Pepper zooming in with her iron suit on.

You quickly joined the ranks, tears of happiness burning your eyes as you saw the family and friends you thought you'd lost suddenly returned to you. With renewed strength and determination, you allowed your hands to light aflame once more, eyes glowing the color of molten lava.

"Avengers!" Steve called, Mjolnir flying into his hand. "Assemble."

He grabbed Stormbreaker off the ground, but Thor held out his hand. "No, give me that, you have the little one."

You grinned and charged, screaming. Everyone was right at your heels, shouting battle cries of their own. Member after member of Thanos' army went down, whether by your flame or something else.

"Cap," Clint called over the comms. "What do you want me to do with this damn thing?"

"Get those stones as far away as possible!" Steve ordered.

"No!" Bruce argued. "We need to get them back where they came from!"

"No way to get them back," Tony said. "Thanos destroyed the quantum tunnel."

"Hold on!" Scott cut in. "That wasn't our only time machine."

Something clicked in your mind. "Anyone see an ugly brown van up there?"

"Yes," Valkyrie called back. "But you're not gonna like where it's parked!"

"Scott, how long do you need to get it working?" You asked.

"Maybe ten minutes," Scott replied.

"Get it started," Steve said. "We'll get the stones to you."

"We're on it, Cap," a woman--Hope van Dyne, you guessed--replied.

You aimed your palms to the ground and shot yourself up with fire. You spotted T'Challa running with the gauntlet and launched yourself over to him.

"Here!" You called.

He threw the gauntlet to you, and you caught it. You landed on your feet and broke into a sprint, a horde of enemies hot on your heels. You sent a wall of fire up behind you, holding them back and allowing you to gain ground for a few moments. Those moments were short, however, and you realized you wouldn't make it on your own.

"Can someone come take this?" You shouted.

"I got it!" Peter called.

You sent up a silent prayer as you tossed him the gauntlet, then turned your attention to the horde chasing you. You drew your hands together, then quickly pulled them apart, a rope of fire extending out. You whipped it around like a lasso, then looped it around half of the group. You shot another fire rope out at the other half and looped them together as well. You drew them together, straining, and allowed the ropes to grow in size until the halves had been united again in a mass of burning bodies and screams.

Satisfied, you turned your attention to a few stragglers who had managed to escape your fire. As you took care of them, cannons firing at the sky caught your gaze. You glanced up to see what was going on, and cheered at what you saw.

"Carol's here!" You cheered.

One of Thanos' ships exploded, and Carol gave you a quick wave as she flew past. You returned it, grinning, and continued on with the fight.

You heard a loud metallic clink. You turned and saw Thanos wearing the gauntlet. Panic filled you, and you frantically looked around. Nothing changed, though, and you looked back.

Tony raised his hand, and you saw his lips move. You couldn't hear him, but you knew exactly what he said.

_I am Iron Man._

He snapped his fingers, and the metallic clang that sounded was much louder than the first. There was a bright flash, and you squinted. When it faded, you looked around.

For a moment, it seemed like nothing had happened. Then, one by one, every single one of Thanos' army began to disintegrate. You looked over at Thanos and smiled as he, too, faded into ash.

Tony collapsed. Peter, Pepper and Rhodey made it to him first, followed by the rest of you. He was gravely injured, and, if you didn't know any better, you'd say he was about to die. However, the life in his eyes told you he would be fine, even as he passed out from his injuries.

And as Tony was carried away to be tended to, Peter, Pepper and Rhodey following close behind, the rest of you stayed behind to get help for the injured and to gather the dead.

As you went along, you couldn't help but look around for him. When you had snapped your fingers, you had been thinking of everyone that had been lost. You had hoped, against all reason, that maybe, just maybe, you could bring him back.

Looking around you, however, and not seeing even the smallest of signs, you kicked yourself for daring to hold on to that hope. He wasn't coming back. While you didn't blame yourself for trying, you blamed yourself for not keeping a sense of realism.

Then again, a couple weeks ago you didn't think time travel was realistic.

You dragged a hand down your face, wiping your eyes in the process. The last thing you needed was for anyone, especially Thor, to see you cry, let alone figure out why.

"Why are you crying, darling?"

You froze.

No. You were just imagining it. Your mind, in order to deal with this fresh wave of grief coupled by the bitter disappointment, had created the illusion of his voice.

You squeezed your eyes shut and clenched your fists, digging your nails into your palms. The sting that followed would hopefully bring your mind to the present. You took a deep breath, though it came out shaky, and opened your eyes.

"Y/N."

Oh, for fuck's sake.

You whipped around, frustrated and angry and sad, to show yourself that it was all in your head, that it had been five years and you needed to stop this or you'd never be able to truly live, and he would've wanted you to live--

What met your glowing gaze startled you.

Loki.

 _Loki_ , the man you loved, the man who had given his life to save you and Thor on that damned ship, was standing before you, hands raised with that damn smirk on his face, completely unharmed.

"You're glowing, my love," he said.

You took a step back, fire dying, tears spilling down your cheeks. Loki lowered his hands, face softening, and stepped toward you.

"Please tell me I'm not about to wake up," you begged, voice hoarse.

"You're not," he assured you.

You reached out your hand to touch him, to know if this was real, but you hesitated. What if you went through him? What if as soon as you came within millimeters of him he disappeared?

Loki took your hand in both of his and kissed your knuckles. He didn't disappear. A smile began to spread across your face, more tears coming, and you kissed him quick and hard. When you pulled away you buried your face in his shoulder and you cried, holding on to him like he could still disappear. He held you just as tight, running his hands up and down your back.

A thought struck you, and you pulled back, though you didn't let go of him entirely. You looked around until you spotted the one you were looking for.

"He's going to crush me," Loki muttered, following your gaze.

"Yes," you agreed. "He's going to crush you with love. _Thor!_ "

The God of Thunder looked over at you. You gestured wildly at him and then at Loki. Thor didn't move for a long moment, staring at you, or rather, staring at Loki instead.

You took Loki's hand and made your way over to Thor. You presented Loki to him.

"He's real, Thor," you whispered. "He's back."

After another long moment, Thor finally moved. Tears in his eyes, he grabbed his brother and hugged him tight. And though it took a moment, Loki returned the hug. You smiled, tears pricking your eyes again.

Everything was finally okay.


End file.
